Some House and Senate lawmakers are requesting that their paychecks be withheld as millions of federal workers prepare to go without pay.

Millions of federal workers won’t get paid during a government shutdown. But the people who could prevent or end a shutdown — members of Congress — will still receive a paycheck.

That’s because their pay is protected under Article I, Section 6 of the Constitution, which states: “The Senators and Representatives shall receive a Compensation for their Services, to be ascertained by Law, and paid out of the Treasury of the United States.”

The Constitution “says members will be paid,” Rep. Joe Morelle of New York, the top Democrat on the House Administration Committee, explained to reporters Tuesday.

  • sadfitzy@ttrpg.network
    14·
    13 hours ago

    If members of congress were not paid, the richer members could use a shutdown to coerce the poorer members,

    Pretty sure all congresspeople get paid at least 6 figures per year.

    They can survive their entire term off of just 1 year’s salary.

    But! They won’t be able to waste money like idiots/most people on social media.

    • Pieisawesome@lemmy.dbzer0.comEnglish
      6·
      11 hours ago

      They get paid 174k a year.

      They usually end up needing 2 homes, and dozens of flights between their home district an DC.

      New congresspeople are typically very poor before they start getting bribes

    • ByteJunk@lemmy.world
      21·
      12 hours ago

      That’s not the correct approach, brother. Especially newer congressmen will be dependent on this income to live, and this would make them even more likely to be held hostage by the guys with fat pockets.

      The problem here is that the consequences are exclusively shouldered by the people, when in fact it should be the administration who gets punished: if they’re unable to compromise on a budget, then they need to get kicked out so that the country doesn’t stop.

      If there’s no way of passing the budget with a new administration, then call for new elections and see how the chips fall.